The Blue Moon In Winter

Chapter Three

She waited with great anticipation for Saturday to arrive. her mind kept playing romantic scenes although she kept reminding herself it was just a formal request. She thought she was being stupid for daydreaming of Javier. She had just met him and maybe their second encounter was slightly sensual, who was she kidding? Her whole body was dancing in excitement when he was in the room. 'Perhaps her hormones were acting up,' she thought, 'or this was how it was meant to react when a male comes that close; No! Victor almost kissed her but she didn't feel this way, she felt glad not excitement and hormones jumping carelessly'. It was the slowest week for Willow ever since she entered college but she managed to survive. She got a glimpse of Javier once that week when she was passing the entrance of the basketball court, he was training with teammates and a lot of girls were in the grandstand cheering especially for him. The next day she decided to go and watch him train after class, she wore a hoody to prevent him from noticing her.

The torture of the week eventually ended, and Saturday arrived. She woke up feeling blissful, she drank some coffee in the morning and for lunch she ate a sandwich. She didn't want to be full as she had read that guys love girls with big appetite, but she has a very small appetite. She couldn't help but try. to impress Javier, she had selected her burgundy strapless high low dress. When she wore it, it held unto her figure perfectly, she had contemplated wearing the stilettos he gave her but she decided to wear her silver ankle strap heels and give him back the stilettos instead. She applied light makeup and let her hair free, she used a hairpin to hold the left side. When she was done, she looked at herself in the mirror and thought she had outdone herself. She dreaded that he would notice she overdressed, but it was already 6:30pm and the time on the note said 7pm.

Javier had been in the restaurant by 6:30, he plays the piano there sometimes.

"Non ti vedo da un po ' " The owner of the restaurant said as soon as he saw Javier. It was an Italian restaurant and he was their regular customer and all the workers were fond of him.

"Signore Rocco!" Javier said grinning from ear to ear, he walked swiftly and shook hands with him.

"Uffa! What brought you here today? You didn't even drop by since the beginning of the semester." The middle age restaurant owner scolded with a lighter Italian accent than that of Javier which was as a result of living abroad for decades.

"As a final year student I'm always busy with something", he managed to explain.

"So what brings you here today?"

"I'm on a date, can you reserve a table for me?"

"Sì, How about you play for us before your date arrives we've missed your sweet music" The man beamed hold his hands together.

Javier sat on the piano stool and took in a deep breath then exhaled. He rolled his sleeve then closed his eyes and absorbed the feeling of the atmosphere. He placed his long fingers on the keys and began to play. The customers in the restaurant had become a very attentive audience, as they all look at him in awe. He was playing a sad song which gave a vibe that you don't only feel but can taste like salty tears rolling down your cheeks on your saddest day. His eyes were closed throughout his performance, when he opened them he saw Willow standing right in front of him with an astonished expression. He bent his head to the keys and played the last notes, a sounding ovation follow. He grinned got up and gave Willow a kiss on her hand.

"You're just on time bambina" He held her hand and took her to their table, she still looked surprised. " You think I'm really good, don't you?" He picked up the menu and scan. He was praising himself, how arrogant, she thought. But maybe sometimes we need to be confident of ourselves she convinced herself.

"Yes, you play very beautifully it's the best I've heard, but it sounded so sad." She adjusted herself on the seat and placed the napkin in her laps, then started going through the second menu on table.

"It's a sad song indeed,"

"Where did you learn to play like that?"

"I had piano lessons when I was younger", a well groomed waiter came to their table and Javier told him his order. The waiter turned to Willow with a questioning look.

"The same thing he ordered" she replied the look and the waiter walked away.

"Why did you order the same thing as me?"

"I've never been to an Italian restaurant so I know nothing about the food."

"Well it's a honour to be the first to take you to one" He smirked, and once again one of his two dimples showed, she flushed. The waiter came in with pasta dishes, with grilled medium sized branzino by the side. The sight of the food looked mouth watering but she wasn't sure she could down the whole thing. He had already started cutting the fish, he looked up at her." You don't like the food?" He asked.

"It looks good, in fact too good to eat," she smiled. As she placed the napkin in her lap, the water returned with a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses. There was an awkward silence and their eyes met twice." I heard you're from Italy", the words came out almost involuntary, she knew he would think she had asked people about him.

"I am..."

"I thought Javier was a Spanish name", she interrupted quickly almost as if it was an interrogation.

"It is, my mother was Spanish."

"Then your father must be so kind to let her name you", it was now she started eating.

"Well, my father said she fought persistently to name me Javier but he refused, but since she died during childbirth he couldn't help but fulfill her wish. " His blue eyes turned to ice and his lips turned to a hard line, she gulped.

"I'm so sorry"

"You shouldn't be but thanks."

"It must have been hard for your father to take care of you since you were are baby."

"He had more than enough people to do the taking care," He gulped wine lightly. " And he also died when I was eight." He didn't look cold anymore, instead he looked warmer. She couldn't understand his emotions, perhaps she was reading it wrong.

"How did he die?"

"He was shot by assassins when he was on a business trip", she imagine a sad blue eyed boy who was born without a mother and lost his father, she shivered.

"Do you have any sibling?" She tried to withdraw from opening old wounds because she didn't want him to open hers.

"No, what about you?"

"I have a sister, her name is Mia, she's the most beautiful girl you'd ever see", she grinned.

"I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen bambina, but if you say so I think I'll have to see Mia for myself. " He beamed, she turned crimson and bit her lower lip unconscious, he stared at her; no, he stare at her lips. "Stop doing that", he said in a strangled voice.

"I should stop doing what?"

"Biting your lip".

"Why? "

"I find it disturbing".

"In what way?" Her hazel eyes glowed.

"In a s****l way", she flushed, he ate his last piece of food and gulped the remaining wine in his cup. She noticed he was done and tried hurriedly to catch up. " You'll choke at this rate, leave the food, I have something to show you." He opened his wallet and paid the check. He took her hands and they left the place to the parking lot, he press his car remote and a 2020 Porsche 718 spyder beeped. Sandra must have been right, she thought, no ordinary student can afford this. He opened the front door and she slid in as poshly as she could. He drove in full speed while she looked out the window at the marvelous sight of the road and street lights illuminating everywhere. In about ten minutes they arrived at the beach in the outskirt of the town. They both came out of the town and her eyes were lit with delight, there was lanterns hung on threads to form a tent like structure. 'This is just so romantic' she thought ' there's nothing friendly or formal about it's,' her body was filled with excitement.

"I didn't plan this, probably some couples were here previously", he disappointed her already dancing thought.

"So what did you want to show me?"

"The beach", he put his coat around her shoulder, the feel of his hands on her shoulder melted her. He held her hand and led the way, they both sat on the sandy ground right in front of the sea with little waves meeting them. " I come here often when I want to runaway from the world, the view is beautiful". He picked a pebble and threw it into the water, "Bambina, you should see it at dawn or even sunset, it's the most beautiful thing". She agrees that the view is beautiful but she would have preferred the romantic setting behind them.

"Did you grow up in USA?" she changed the topic.

"No, I lived with my noona in Italy until I decided to go to university in America".

"Your grandma, I bet she's a sweet woman",

"She is... " He turned and looked at her in the eyes, he could see her as the full moon has become their light, but her hazel eyes wasn't sparkling as it had before. She managed a smile, " she is as sweet as you" He used his hand to caress her cheek very lightly. her cheeks turned pink, ' but thank goodness he won't see it in the darkness' she thought, her stomach churned ' was that butterflies?' He hasn't released her from the gaze, though, she was trying to keep up but soon fail by looking down away from him. He raised her face up with his two hands on each side. Immediately his mouth came down on hers and she willingly opened her mouth in response. It began softly just his lip brushing her, then it became forcefully claiming, firm and slow, she endeavoured to keep up with him as it was her first time.